If they are not the riddle, and the untying of the riddle, they

are nothing;

If they are not just as

nothing.

close as they are distant, they are

350

This is the grass that grows wherever the land is, and the water is; This is the common air that bathes the globe.1

18

With music strong I come with my cornets and my drums, I play not marches for accepted victors only-I play great marches for conquer'd and slain persons.

Have you heard that it was good to gain the day?

I also say it is good to fall-battles are lost in the same spirit in which they are won.

I beat and pound for the dead ;"

I blow through my embouchures my loudest and gayest for them.

Vivas to those who have fail'd!

And to those whose war-vessels sank in the sea!
And to those themselves who sank in the sea!

360

And to all generals that lost engagements! and all overcome heroes!

And the numberless unknown heroes, equal to the greatest heroes known.

1 After line 352, 1855 '56 '60 read "This is the breath of laws and songs and behaviour,

This is the tasteless water of souls, this is the true sustenance,

It is for the illiterate, it is for the judges of the supreme court, it is for the federal capitol and the state capitols,

It is for the admirable communes of literary men* and composers and singers and lecturers and engineers and savans,

It is for the endless races of working peoplet and farmers and seamen.

This is the trill of a thousand clear cornets and scream of the octave flute and strike of triangles.

I play not a march‡ for victors only, I play great marches for conquered and

slain persons."

1860 reads

This is the breath for America, because it is my breath. This is for laws, songs, behavior."

2 1855 reads "I sound triumphal drums for the dead."

"I beat," etc.

3 1855 reads "I fling," etc.

* 1856 '60 read "literats."

† 1856'60 read "work-people."
1860 reads "not here marches."

1856 '60 read

19

This is the meal equally1 set-this is the meat for natural hunger;

It is for the wicked just the same as the righteous-I make ap

pointments with all;

I will not have a single person slighted or left away;
The kept-woman, sponger, thief, are hereby invited;
The heavy-lipp'd slave is invited—the venerealee is invited :
There shall be no difference between them and the rest.

This is the press of a bashful hand-this is the float and odor of

hair;

370

This is the touch of my lips to yours-this is the murmur of

yearning;

This is the far-off depth and height reflecting my own face;
This is the thoughtful merge of myself, and the outlet again.

Do you guess I have some intricate purpose?

Well, I have for the Fourth-month showers have, and the mica on the side of a rock has.

Do you take it I would astonish?

Does the daylight astonish? Does the early redstart, twittering through the woods?

Do I astonish more than they?

This hour I tell things in confidence ;

I might not tell everybody, but I will tell you.

380

20.

Who goes there? hankering, gross, mystical, nude;
How is it I extract strength from the beef I eat?

What is a man, anyhow? What am I? What are you?

All I mark as my own, you shall offset it with your own;
Else it were time lost listening to me.

་

I do not snivel that snivel the world over,

That months are vacuums, and the ground but wallow and filth ; That life is a suck and a sell, and nothing remains at the end but threadbare crape, and tears.

Whimpering and truckling fold with powders for invalids-conformity goes to the fourth-remov'd;

I wear my hat as I please, indoors or out.

390

Why should I pray? Why should I venerate and be ceremonious ?2

Having pried through the strata, analyzed to a hair, counsell'd with doctors, and calculated close,

I find no sweeter fat than sticks to my own bones.

In all people I see myself-none more, and not one a barleycorn less;

And the good or bad I say of myself, I say of them.

And I know I am solid and sound;

To me the converging objects of the universe perpetually flow; All are written to me, and I must get what the writing means.

I know I am deathless;

I know this orbit of mine cannot be swept by the carpenter's

compass;

400

I know I shall not pass like a child's carlacue cut with a burnt stick at night.

I know I am august;

I do not trouble my spirit to vindicate itself or be understood;

I see that the elementary laws never apologize;

(I reckon I behave no prouder than the level I plant my house by, after all.)

I exist as I am—that is enough ;

If no other in the world be aware, I sit content;

And if each and all be aware, I sit content.

1 1855 '56 '60 read "I cock my hat," etc.

21855'56 read "Shall I pray? Shall I venerate and be ceremonious ?'' 3 1855 reads "I have pried through the strata and analyzed to a hair, And* counselled with doctors and calculated close and* found no sweeter fat than sticks to my own bones."

One world is aware, and by far the largest to me, and that is myself;

And whether I come to my own to-day, or in ten thousand or

ten million years,

410

I can cheerfully take it now, or with equal cheerfulness I can wait.

My foothold is tenon'd and mortis'd in granite;

I laugh at what you call dissolution;

And I know the amplitude of time.

I am the poet of the Body;

And I am the poet of the Soul.

21

The pleasures of heaven are with me, and the pains of hell are

with me;

The first I graft and increase upon myself-the latter I translate into a new tongue.

I am the poet of the woman the same as the man ;
And I say it is as great to be a woman as to be a man ;
And I say there is nothing greater than the mother of men.

I chant the' chant of dilation or pride;

We have had ducking and deprecating about enough;

I show that size is only development.

Have you outstript the rest? Are you the President?

420

It is a trifle-they will more than arrive there, every one, and

still pass on.

I am he that walks with the tender and growing night;

I call to the earth and sea, half-held by the night.

Press close, bare-bosom'd night! Press close, magnetic, nour

ishing night!

Night of south winds! night of the large few stars!

Still, nodding night! mad, naked, summer night.

Smile, O voluptuous, cool-breath'd earth!

Earth of the slumbering and liquid trees;

430

Earth of departed sunset! earth of the mountains, misty-topt! 1 1855 reads "I chant a new chant," etc.

Earth of the vitreous pour of the full moon, just tinged with blue! Earth of shine and dark, mottling the tide of the river!

Earth of the limpid gray of clouds, brighter and clearer for my sake!

Far-swooping elbow'd earth! rich, apple-blossom'd earth!
Smile, for your lover comes !

Prodigal, you have given me love! Therefore I to you give

love!

O unspeakable, passionate love!1

22

440

You sea! I resign myself to you also-I guess what you mean; I behold from the beach your crooked inviting fingers;

I believe you refuse to go back without feeling of me;
We must have a turn together-I undress-hurry me out of
sight of the land;

Cushion me soft, rock me in billowy drowse;
Dash me with amorous wet-I can repay you.

Sea of stretch'd ground-swells!

Sea breathing broad and convulsive breaths!

Sea of the brine of life! sea of unshovell'd yet always-ready

graves!

450

Howler and scooper of storms! capricious and dainty sea!
I am integral with you-I too am of one phase, and of all phases.

Partaker of influx and efflux I—extoller of hate and conciliation ; Extoller of amies, and those that sleep in each others' arms.

I am he attesting sympathy;

(Shall I make my list of things in the house, and skip the house that supports them?)"

I am not the poet of goodness only-I do not decline to be the poet of wickedness also.

Washes and razors for foofoos-for me freckles and a bristling beard.

1 1855'56 '60 read, after line 441, "Thruster holding me tight and that I hold tight!

We hurt each other as the bridegroom and the bride hurt each other."

21855 '56 '60 read, after line 456, "I am the poet of common sense and of the demonstrable and of immortality."